As parents, there are always going to be things that come up with your children that leave you stumped and mystified. This is especially true if you have more than one child. You'll think you have everything figured out with the first child, but then everything will be different with the next child. Often, when your child is going through a new stage of development, they will develop habits and quirks that drive you crazy. Other times, they will slowly develop behaviors that you view as negative, with no sign of them growing out of it.

So what is making your child so difficult?

They aren't getting enough exercise

If you've ever had an instance where your kids are stuck at home for a few days at a time, you probably know that a lack of exercise will make your kids somewhat irritable. They have so much energy that you need to make sure they have outlets to get all of their energy out. I don't mean exercise like you should ask your child to do push-ups or go on a run. But maybe turn on some music and encourage them to dance, let them ride their bike around the neighborhood, or take a soccer ball to the park and let them kick it around. Even just jumping on a trampoline or playing outside will help them get some exercise and release some of that tension and energy.

Lack of social interaction

Another really common reason that your child is acting out is that they aren't getting enough social interaction. This is especially applicable for only children, and happens most often when they are out of school for the summer! They are used to spending all day with their peers and friends, so going from that to spending quiet days in the house will cause them to be a bit irritable. You don't have to plan elaborate activities for your child to have social interaction, just letting them invite a friend over to hang out or taking them to the park to play with other kids can improve their days.

Lack of proper nutrition

We all know how important it is to make sure your child has a balanced diet, but the consequences of not having proper nutrition are a lot worse than you probably realize. This is, obviously, much easier said than done. If you struggle to get vegetables, fruits, and whole grains into your child's diet, try involving them in cooking, making the meal a fun experience, and when all else fails, puree vegetables to hide in their foods. Another great way to round out your child's diet is to have them take a multivitamin every day. This just helps fill in the gaps in their nutrition, so you can feel more confident that they're getting everything they need. It doesn't have to be a chore to get them to take their vitamins, either, you can find a gummy vitamin that has a list of ingredients you're happy with, and a taste your child likes.

They don't know how to express themselves

Especially with younger children, if your child doesn't know how to express themselves adequately, they can act out. Things, like hitting, screaming, yelling, throwing tantrums, or talking back, can all be signs of not knowing how to express themselves adequately. Depending on their age and the specific problems you are dealing with, there are a few different ways to help your child with this. The first step is to try to communicate with them. See if they are able to describe their feelings, so that way you can help them find healthy ways to express them. For an older child, encouraging journaling is an excellent way for them to process their feelings. In some cases, seeking the help of a therapist or other professional to help you pinpoint the issue may be helpful.


There isn't a single stage of childhood that isn't difficult for both you and your child. Part of it is just growing pains, as both you and your child grow, develop, and learn. This doesn't mean that being a parent has to be miserable, though! There are good times within the difficult times, and learning to deal with the difficult times will make the hard times just a little bit easier.